Here is where things stand on Sunday, May 11:
Fighting:
- The Russian Ministry of Defence on Sunday accused Ukraine of violating a three-day truce concluded on Saturday more than 14,000 times and Kyiv’s troops of making five attempts to breach Russia’s southern border, the TASS state news agency reported. Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of violating the Russian-declared ceasefire, held during commemorations to mark the end of World War II.
- In a post on Telegram, the Ukrainian military’s general staff on Sunday accused Russia of carrying out dozens of air raids and thousands of rocket and drone attacks in the past day.
- Ukrainian forces have carried out more than 100 attacks on the western Russian region of Belgorod in the past day, according to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
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Ukraine’s air defence units were trying to repel a Russian air attack on Kyiv, the city’s mayor said on Sunday after Ukraine’s air force warned of a drone attack on the capital.
- Russian forces have carried out a drone attack in southern Ukraine’s Vasylivka area, located in the region of Zaporizhia, according to the local military administration.
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Politics and diplomacy:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkiye, on Thursday “without preconditions” to achieve “lasting peace” and “eliminate the root causes” of the three-year conflict.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Russia to confirm an unconditional 30-day ceasefire beginning on Monday, saying Ukraine would then be ready to meet for direct talks with Russia.
- United States President Donald Trump described the talks offer as a “potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine”.
- On Saturday, Zelenskyy received the backing of Europe’s major powers and Trump for the unconditional 30-day ceasefire beginning on Monday.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his Russian and French counterparts that a “historic turning point” has been reached in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and Ankara was ready to host talks between the two warring parties, his office said.
- Macron said Putin’s offer to start direct talks with Ukraine is “a first step but not enough”, arguing that an unconditional ceasefire that Kyiv and its allies have called for should happen first. Macron accused Putin of “looking for a way out, but he still wants to buy time”.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Putin’s proposal for direct talks with Kyiv a “serious proposal” that is a step towards “lasting peace”.
- Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said the US and Europe are collectively ramping up pressure on Russia to push through a ceasefire. “I think the American administration is also getting a little bit impatient with these Russian games,” Michal said, accusing Russia of dragging its feet in implementing a truce.
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